Official Languages Committee on Feb. 9th, 2011

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

The nurses?

[Jean de Dieu Tuyishime]

Some, yes. It depends. It’s the luck of the draw.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Is there a service protocol for both official languages at the general hospital in Yellowknife?

[Jean de Dieu Tuyishime]

There is a sign indicating that you can request services in French in the reception area, and you will receive them. Sometimes, the signs are in English.

When you arrive at the hospital, and you ask to be served in French, typically the receptionist won’t be the one to do so. You'll wait until someone is called and that person will come and see you in the emergency department. It is at that point that an interpreter will assist you.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

I'll give you my business card during the break. Thirty years ago I developed a similar protocol for health care in the two official languages. It didn’t work in Canada’s national capital 30 years ago. I'll give you my business card and you can write to me, and I'll send it to you.

It’s a starting point. You have to start somewhere.

[Jean de Dieu Tuyishime]

Indeed.

I’m going to tell you a personal story. I had a heart attack and had to go to emergency. I was looked after by a French speaking nurse, but it was a pure fluke. I don’t know how it happened. The doctor, who came from the United States, was also a francophile. I found this out because I wasn’t able to speak a word of English. He told me that I could speak in French and that he would understand me. I was really surprised. And yet, it was just a stroke of good luck.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

Thank you very much, Mr. Tuyishime.

Are health care issues something the Fédération franco-ténoise is concerned about? What steps have been taken over the past five years, let’s say, to improve the services?

[Richard Létourneau]

That is currently one of the topics for discussion between our consultation and cooperation committee and the government of the Northwest Territories. The government has to develop an Official Languages Act implementation plan. It does so with the expert assistance of Mr. Bastarache and Ms. Dyane Adam.

Discussions are underway to implement a plan, for health care among other things, because it is one of the most important items on the agenda. Obviously, I don’t want to get into too much detail right now about discussions that are taking place with the NWT government, however I can tell you that this is certainly a key issue that we’re fighting tooth and nail over. The status quo is unacceptable to us.

It is really important to have a tailored approach to ensure that bilingual services are available both in clinics and elsewhere. We want to be able to get services in French without relying on chance. We want to know that at a particular time on a particular day, will be able to get a particular type of service. For example, on a specific day a specialist would be available, with the nurse on hand at all times, or perhaps specialist services on a monthly basis, when the specialists come to Yellowknife. There are actually a lot of medical specialists here in the Northwest Territories. They come from Alberta and other provinces on rotation. The NWT government representatives might be able to say more about this.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

I have a couple of questions regarding education. I don’t know if somebody will be able to answer my questions. How many students in the Northwest Territories education system go to school in French?

[Rachelle Francoeur]

Are you just referring to the francophone school board or are you also talking about immersion students?

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

I’d like to start by knowing how many students there are in the Northwest Territories, so that I can get a sense of proportions.

[Rachelle Francoeur]

I couldn’t tell you how many students there are because there are—

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

How many students go to school in French?

[Rachelle Francoeur]

I think that the director of the francophone school board would be in a better position to give you that figure.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

I guess that there is only a school in Yellowknife—

[Rachelle Francoeur]

No, there is one in Hay River, and there are also immersion schools in the four main communities.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

There are French language immersion schools, but are there also French language schools?

[Rachelle Francoeur]

Yes, there are. There are French language schools, schools with immersion programs and so called core French programs.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

There is a French language school here in Yellowknife, isn’t there?

[Rachelle Francoeur]

Yes, there is.

[Royal Galipeau, Conservative, Ottawa—Orléans, ON]

How many students attend that school?

[Rachelle Francoeur]

About 125.

[The Chair, Conservative, Steven Blaney]

Thank you, Mr. Galipeau.

Unless I’m mistaken, representatives from the school board will be appearing before us at 3:30 p.m., so you'll be able to delve further into these issues this afternoon.

We'll start our second round with Mr. Bélanger.

[Mauril Bélanger, Liberal, Ottawa—Vanier, ON]

Thank you.

Mr. Létourneau, in your speech, you mentioned that you met with representatives from every department that has jurisdiction in the Northwest Territories concerning their obligations under part VII of the act. You mentioned that 25% responded right away and met with you, that 25% made some form of contact with you, and that the other 50% brushed you off.

Can you tell us which departments did what? Did you identify them in your remarks? I’d like to know. Can you get this information to us?

[Léo-Paul Provencher]

I'll double check. I can’t say that this issue has occupied my full attention over recent months. I remember that Justice Canada and the Department of Citizenship and Immigration were on the list. Unfortunately, I have no clear recollection as to the others, and I don’t wish to mislead you.

Let’s see, 25% of 22 equates to about five departments. So there were three others, in addition to another department that attended a group meeting.